Build from scratch
Silvia Gaastra-Nedea, together with Henk Huinink responsible for the Systems for Sustainable Heat focus area, elaborates on this statement: ‘Over the past two years, we managed to start an entirely new focus area on thermal energy storage, from scratch. All across university, people were working on pieces of this puzzle, but most of them weren’t aware of each other’s work. We have approached everyone we knew within our own networks and brought them together during workshops and discussions. So far, that has resulted in several joint proposals, for example for EU projects. We also expanded our core team, which started out as a combination of the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics, to now also include those of the Built Environment and Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, and even some companies. And we have extended our scope.
Our initial strategy was based on two pillars: thermochemical materials and phase change materials, empowered by our icon project the heat battery. Since we started, we have received many messages from companies and students who became inspired to work with us on these or related topics. That enabled us to broaden our strategy to include porous media in general, also for H2 and CO2 storage. In addition, we are contemplating including the use of artificial intelligence for materials discovery.’
Constant evaluation
Also in the focus area Chemistry for Sustainable Energy Systems, led by Adriana Creatore together with Marta Costa Figueiredo, the research strategy is far from static, Creatore says. ‘We are constantly asking ourselves how our quest towards unravelling the detailed relationship between structure and performance of (electro-)catalysts can eventually lead to a successful chain-of-knowledge toward technological solutions. Our focus area started out with a strong emphasis on material science for electrocatalysis. Together with the focus area Engineering for Sustainable Energy Systems, we have the Dutch Electrolyzer as our icon project. As a result of for example our lunch lectures, we have gained visibility across TU/e and beyond. That enabled us to establish new collaborations between researchers on adjacent fields in different departments, and with new industrial partners. Bringing these people together has led to very interesting discussions about possible new research directions. As a result, we are now looking into the option to broaden our scope toward materials science for energy, enabling us to also include topics like electrosynthesis, plasma catalysis but also next generation photovoltaics and batteries.’
Keep an eye on the ball
The fact that the focus areas have kept their eyes open for new possibilities, does not mean they have lost sight of their original plans, John van der Schaaf, together with Niels Deen responsible for the Engineering for Sustainable Energy Systems focus area, emphasizes. ‘Over the past years, we have gained a much better understanding of our electrolyzer and what we can do to improve it. With the Dutch Electrolyzer we aim to develop a small, alkaline based, cheap solution that is able to accommodate high current densities. We aim for modular 1-2 MW systems that can be used on a district level to store excess renewable energy, for example generated by solar panels on the roof of the houses, in the form of hydrogen.’ But sure, also here the playing field has grown, he says. ‘To name one example: electrolyzers produce excess heat. Since we have people working on heat storage and people who are experts on the built environment, it is only natural that we also start to investigate ideas to use that heat in some way.’
Systemic approach
And that is where one seamlessly enters the area of System Integration, led by Lisanne Havinga and Guus Pemen. ‘Within this focus area, one of my personal highlights so far is the fact that the MEGAMIND Perspectief program was granted,’ Pemen says. ‘This program very nicely illustrates how we take a systems approach to the energy transition, and look what is needed in a technological, societal, economical and legislative sense to build the energy grid of the future. In MEGAMIND, we develop both the required technology and the appropriate legislation to smartly match the intermittent energy supply with the increasing demand.
Currently we are working on an initiative to couple our knowledge on electricity grids and the different assessment tools we have to evaluate energy technologies to decision-making. In the coming years, we want to develop a clear overview of what we need to develop to optimally assist policymakers in making the right choices of what energy technologies to use under which circumstances.’
A second focus will be on electrification of industry, Pemen says. ‘One of the possible routes is through large scale electrochemical production of hydrogen, for example fed with renewable electricity generated by offshore wind parks. But what is the best way to connect the off shore wind park to the electrolysers on land to optimize yields and reduce the overall cost? The recently awarded FlexH2 project is the first project in that field, but I am convinced that will be the first of many. The Eindhoven Grid Lab we are currently building, will be of great importance for that type of research.’
Renowned speakers
For the recent EIRES event on 01 July 2022, all four focus areas invited renowned speakers who are able to introduce the audience to the main challenges and state-of-the-art solutions the global energy research community is currently working on. Take Kerstin Eckert of the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf & TU Dresden. She is an international expert on the formation of hydrogen bubbles at the electrodes in electrolysers. In her talk, she focussed on multiphase flows in flotation reactors and electrolysers. Under the fascinating title ‘Thermal Energy – The Sleeping Giant of the Energy Transition Starts Moving’, Andreas Hauer from the Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research gave an overview of both the technological and the scientific challenges in heat storage. André P.C. Faaij, Director of Science at TNO Energy Transition, provided a system view on what is needed to make the energy transition happen at the required speed. And Beatriz Roldán Cuenya from the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society talked about go into the development of the catalysts needed for the reutilization of CO2 through its direct conversion into industrially valuable chemicals and fuels such as ethylene and ethanol, and the generation of green H2 through water splitting.
Questions ?
Contact us: eires@tue.nl
